Residents push complaint against Giordano’s practices

Although Giordano’s restaurant was cleared on charges of discrimination in its delivering practices last winter, one Evanston resident said that wasn’t enough: Camille Wilmington demanded more from the Human Relations Committee at its meeting Wednesday night.

Wilmington said she is unhappy with the committee’s recent findings and said she wanted another investigation of Giordano’s and other restaurants claiming that the establishments refuse to deliver to certain Evanston neighborhoods.

But Leonard Stein, a commissioner for the committee said, “As far as we know (Giordano’s) is obeying the law.”

Mavis Hageman, vice chairwoman of the committee, said she would like to see change rather than punishment.

But Wilmington held fast to her claims.

“(Giordano’s) have done nothing to earn our business back,” Wilmington said. She urged the committee to revoke delivery rights to businesses that practice discriminatory delivery.

Wilmington said she moved to Evanston because it was a diverse town. Now, she said she is unhappy with the city and is considering moving because of incidents like these.

Paula Haynes, executive director of the committee, said it was not practical for the committee to investigate every Evanston restaurant’s delivery practice. Instead, the committee has reminded all Evanston restaurants of the law that says deliveries must be made to every location in Evanston.

The committee agreed respond to Wilmington’s complaint in writing sometime after July 9. Also, the committee plans to establish a procedure for handling these types of complaints.

Wilmington said she is also filing a complaint with Illinois Department of Human Rights.

City to hire firm to work on Central Street parking issues

Evanston City Council has brought in a consulting group to investigate the parking problems in the area around Central Street near the Metra Station.

Rina Cutler, a member of a Philadelphia consulting group hired to do the investigation, discussed the Central Street area at a parking committee meeting Wednesday night. Cutler sees parking as having two issues: economic development and quality of life.

“Finding the balance will be the interesting part of this activity,” Cutler said.

The consulting group’s report should be completed sometime in the fall. Cutler will be at the July 25 parking committee meeting to give an interim report.

In Evanston, there is a limited amount of public and expensive private parking, she said. Parking is especially limited around the Central Street area because of the Metra Station, 1601 Central St., and local businesses.

Current policy has not allowed parking between the hours of 7a.m. to 9 a.m. in residential areas near Lincoln Street to keep the streets more open.

The committee feels it is a priority that residents to be able to park in front of their houses.

Ald. Melissa A. Wynne (3rd) said she does not want Evanston residents to stop using the Metra because they can’t find parking.

Ald. Arthur Newman (1st) conducted his own study and said he had to walk about nine blocks from where he parked to get Central Street.

Newman said he was not looking to strip the streets of parking.

Council votes against liquor at local 4th of July picnic

“B.Y.O.B.” or “bring-your-own-beer” will not apply to the Canal Land annual July 4 picnic because the Evanston City Council voted against granting a liquor license to the picnic’s organizers Monday night.

The council voted to remove the request for a special permit to sell liquor from the picnic’s proposal. The organizers of the picnic did not request the right to sell liquor – they only want to be able to bring beer to the park.

Last year more than 400 people attended the picnic, which began as a block party. In recent years the event has grown so large that people have spilled over into Harbart Park, which is located on McDaniel Avenue between Main and Dempster streets and runs along the North Shore Channel. This led the parks, forestry, and recreation departments to suggest that residents obtain a special permit to expand the picnic to the park.

In order to bypass the city ordinance prohibiting drinking in the parks, Douglas J. Gaynor, director of parks, forestry and recreation, suggested the group obtain a one-day license to sell liquor.

However, Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) and Gene Feldman (9th) did not think giving the group hosting the party a right to sell liquor was the answer.

“We have not loosened the prohibition of consuming alcohol in the parks,” Feldman said at the June 25 Evanston City Council meeting.

Gaynor said there have never been any reports or complaints of alcohol-related problems at the picnic.

Ald. Newman said allowing alcohol could cause future problems.

“If we set the precedent to allow alcohol, there will be parties that regularly request licenses,” Newman said at Monday’s meeting. “I wouldn’t want to set that precedent.”

Since the picnic occurs on a holiday, Evanston’s police enforcement resources will already be stretched to the limit and it might be difficult to prohibit drinking. Gaynor said his department will do its best to see that the rule is enforced, and it will make sure, as always, that there will be no drinking at the park.